Wave Energy Scotland (WES) has awarded two contracts to study the opportunities for step-change cost reductions resulting from the improvements in supporting infrastructure for wave energy converters.
The contracts , with a total value £143,000, will involve the evaluation of the innovation landscape to find the optimum choices for electrical connection solutions, and foundations and moorings.
WES selected the UK-based energy and environmental consultancy TNEI Services to study wave energy cost reduction options arising from the innovation in electrical connection systems.
The electrical connection system is defined as the systems, sub-systems, functions and capabilities involved from the first generation of electrical energy to introduction of grid compliant electricity into the onshore electrical transmission or distribution grid.
For the moorings and foundations scope of work, WES opted for subsea mooring systems and tethers specialist Tension Technology International.
The moorings and foundations represent the whole extent of the station keeping system up to the connection point to a wave energy converter.
The electrical connection, and foundations and moorings systems in a wave energy device can amount to as much as a quarter of the capital costs so reducing these costs is of paramount importance, according to Wave Energy Scotland.